1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of semiconductor devices. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to the production of semiconductor devices, such as image sensing devices, having a carrier disposed over a substrate to form a sealed cavity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microprocessor-controlled circuits are used in a wide variety of applications. Such applications include personal computers, cellular phones, digital cameras, control systems, and a host of other consumer products. A personal computer, digital camera, or the like, generally includes various components, such as microprocessors, that handle different functions for the system. By combining these components, various consumer products and systems may be designed to meet specific needs. Microprocessors are essentially generic devices that perform specific functions under the control of software programs. These software programs are generally stored in one or more memory devices that are coupled to the microprocessor and/or other peripherals.
Electronic components such as microprocessors and memory devices often include numerous integrated circuits manufactured on a semiconductor substrate. The various structures or features of these integrated circuits may be fabricated on a substrate through a variety of manufacturing processes known in the art, including layering, doping, and patterning. Obviously, the size of each feature directly impacts the number of features that may be formed on a substrate of a given size. Accordingly, it is generally desirable to reduce the size of such features in order to increase the number of elements that may be formed in a given area of the substrate.
In addition to microprocessors and/or memory devices, some systems, such as digital cameras, generally include an image sensor (e.g., a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor) configured to receive an image. Typically, such image sensors include an array of sensor pixel cells or photoreceptors that utilize the photoelectric effect to convert incident photons (i.e., those photons striking the photoreceptors of the sensor) into electrical charges. Once these photons are converted into electrical charges, a microprocessor may process the electrical charges into digital data that may be stored and/or used to reconstruct the captured image.